Infant&#39;s bathing device



Sept. 27, 1955 B. H. KENNEDY 2,718,642

INFANTS BATHING DEVICE Filed Jan. 16, 1952 INVENTOR ATTORNS United States Patent INFANTS BATHING DEVICE Benjamin H. Kennedy, Pittsford, N. Y. Application January 16, 1952, Serial No. 266,663

2 Claims. (c1. 4-177 This invention relates to infants bathing devices of the type having a flexible tub and a folding support therefor, and has for its object the provison of an improved tub and connection of the tub to the support. My invention simplifies the construction, reduces the cost, and gives improved results in the way of sanitation and efficient use. I attach the long sides of the tub to longitudinal rails or like members of the support in any suitable manner, and fold the ends together with pleats or folds to effect end closures and to give depth to the tub, but I do not permanently secure the pleats. In accordance with the invention, the end folds or pleats are openable and are held together with suitable fastening means so that the ends may be readily opened or unfolded for cleaning, and at least one end is provided with means to control the discharge of water from the tub when the folds at this end are opened or unfolded. I provide means for holding the free end of the tub while the folds and hence the end itself is being opened to prevent spilling of water therefrom. a After the folds and end have been opened, the free end may be lowered gradually to allow the water to flow out at any desired rate.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, I attach a holding means on one end in the form of a handle, conveniently a part of the reenforcing material, and use the end as a pouring spout, the holding means serving to hold the free end to control the emptying of water as the end is lowered.

In another form of the invention, I provide the end folds of both tub ends with detachable connections so that the entire tub may be opened out flat for complete cleaning.

My invention eliminates the objectionable bottom drains wihch have been diificult to make leak-proof and to maintain in a sanitary condition. Moreover, the present invention enables one to empty the water very quickly and to clean and dry the end folds.

These and other objects of the invention will be better understood after considering the following discussion taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view from above of an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlargement of an end of the tub of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the end open for emptying the tub;

Fig. 4 is a view of one end from the outside of another modification, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the end of Fig. 4.

The infants bathing device illustrated in the drawings comprises a collapsible or folding type support including two pairs of cross-legs 1 and 2 pivotally connected near their centers by pins 3, and interconnected by the lower longitudinal rails 4 and 5 and the upper longitudinal rails 6 and 7. These members (1 to 7) comprise the collapsible support for the tub 8. The tub is formed of a rectangular piece of flexible sheet material, such as rubber or a fabric coated with a waterproof material such as rubber or the like. The upper rails 6 and 7 are inserted through side tunnels 10 and 11 formed on the longitudinal sides of the tub and thereby support the sides of the tub. Pins or tacks 12 hold the tub in position on the rails.

The ends 13 and 14 of the tub have two pleats or gusset folds 15-16 and 17-18, respectively, detachably connected together with Dot fasteners 19-19, 20-20, 21 and 22. The male part (19, 20, 21 and 22) of each fastener is attached to the tub proper, as best shown in Fig. 2, while the female parts 19' and 20' of the fasteners 19 and 20 are attached to reenforcing straps 23 at one end (13) of the tub. The female parts (not shown) of the fasteners 21 and 22 are attached to similar reenforcing straps 24 at the other end (14) of the tub. The registering or coincident holes in the gusset folds of the tub through which the male part of the fasteners 19 etc. extend are preferably reenforced with flat eyelets, such as the eyelets 25-26 and 27-28 of the folds 15-16, respectively.

The reenforcing straps 23 and 24 are provided to relieve undue strain on the material of the tub. The straps are sewed to the edge of the tub end. In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the straps 23 are the free ends of a relatively longer strap or tape, the intermediate section 23 of which is sewed to the outer edge of the tub end, and the eyelets 26 and 28 extend through both the tub and strap at the place of contact. The straps are sufficiently long to loop around the adjacent rail 6 or 7. The male part (19 etc.) of each fastener extends through the registering eyelets of the gusset fold (e. g. 25-26 and 27-28) and is clasped by the female part (19 etc.) attached to the free end of the reenforcing strap. The fasteners thus perform the dual functions of holding the folds in position and of securing the straps (looped over theupper rails) to the gusset-folded portions of the tub. When the fasteners are disconnected the tub may be stretched out flat.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the tub end 13 has a suitable handle or gripping member 35 in the form of a strap or cord for manually holding the end while emptying the tub. The member 35 is positioned on the inside of the tub with its ends sewed to the tub material. When the tub is assembled with the gusset folds 15-16 and straps 23 clasped together by the fasteners 19-20, the member 35 lies flat against the top inner edge of the tub (Fig. 1). When the fasteners are unclasped, the member 35 may be gradually lowered and the end of the tub serves as a spout for discharging Water from the tub. The member 35 may be the intermediate section of the straps 23, in which case that section is preferably attached to the inside of the tub, with the handle portion unstitched to the tub.

Assuming the tub of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 has been used to bathe an infant and is to be emptied, the nursemaid grasps the handle or gripping member 35 with one hand and unclasps the fasteners of the gusset folds. The end is lowered gradually to permit water to pour out into a suitable vessel beside the cross-legs 1-2. When the end is completely lowered (Fig. 3), the tub material may be readily cleaned and dried, and the end refolded and fastened. Both ends of the tub may be opened after each use and the fabric of the folds cleaned and dried.

The modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 comprises a foldable tub 40 attached to a collapsible support as in Figs. 1 to 5. The end folds 41 and 42 are formed and held by a draw cord 43. The draw cord consists of two lengths cooperating respectively with the two folds 41 and 42. The inner end of each cord length is fastened to ,the top of the tub end (when folded) between the folds. This is effected by passing the central section of the cord through two spaced openings in the tub and knotting the cord on both sides of each opening, as indicated by the knots 44 and 45 in Fig. 5. One cord length passes from the knots 44 through grommets 46, .47 and 48, over the longitudinal rail 6, through a slide fastener 50, and is atatched to the other length of the cord by a knot 51. The other length of the cord passes from the knots 45 through grommets 52, 53 and 54 over the longitudinal rail 7, through the slide fastener 50, and to the knot 51.

The section of the cord 43' between the knots at 44 and 45, when drawn taut as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, controls the spread of the end, and the sections or lengths passing around the rails 6 and 7 carry the Weight at the end.

When it is desired to empty the tub, the slide catch 50 is released and the section of cord between the knots at 44 and 45 is held with one hand to lower the end slowly and permit the water to pour out into a suitable vessel.

It will be seen from the following description that the invention resides primarily in the provision of openable end folds held together when the tub is assembled for bathing by manually operable fastening means. By manually undoing or unclasping the fastening means, the folds are opened or let out and the end of the tub is thus opened to permit the discharge of Water. For controlling the rate of discharge of Water from the open free end of the tub, a handle or equivalent gripping means is provided for gently or gradually lowering the open end. Preferably, both ends of the tub have openable folds held together by manually operable fastening means, but only one end need be provided with means for facilitating the discharge of water. Since the openable end folds and the frequent opening thereof tend to weaken the usual attachment of the tub to the upper longitudinal rails of the collapsible support, reenforcing straps are preferably provided for strengthening the support at the ends of the tub when the folds are assembled and fastened together for bathing.

I claim:

1. The improvement in an infants bathing device having a flexible tub and a folding support therefor, which comprises a reenforcing strap attached to the edge of the tub at each end, said straps passing around the support to carry part of the weight of the tub, openable folds at each end of the tub to give the tub depth, manually operable fastening means attached to the tub and to one of the straps for securing one of the end folds in folded position, said end being constructed and arranged to be lowered to serve as a pouring spout for emptying the tub, handle means for holding the end of the tub and controlling the emptying of water when the folds for said end are open and the end is lowered to serve as a spout in emptying the tub.

2. The improvement in an infants bathing device having a flexible tub and a folding support therefor which comprises several grommets in one end arranged to assume coincident positions when the end is folded to give the tub depth, a cord secured in two positions to the end to determine the width of the tub and in supporting contact with the support and inserted through the grommets, said end being constructed and arranged to be lowered to serve as a pouring spout for emptying the tub, and means for fastening the cord in taut position to secure the end of the tub, a part of said cord serving as a handle to control the emptying of the Water when the cord is unfastened and the end is lowered to the pouring position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 984,765 Knickerbocker Feb. 21, 1911 1,065,909 Zimmerman June 24, 1913 1,099,671 Smith June 9, 1914 1,679,514 Brown Aug. 7, 1928 1,735,513 Stalter Nov. 12, 1929 2,567,514 Hoifman Sept. 11, 1951 2,581,883 Rechler Jan. 8, 1952 2,607,044 Kennedy Aug. 19, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,581 Great Britain Dec. 3, 1912 

